Imran Khan’s Civil Disobedience Movement.

Yesterday, On August 17, 2014 Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tahreek Insaf, bowled a very wide delivery of his political career. He has announced that till the resignation of Prime Minister, Civil disobedience campaign will be observed in whole the country. At least he wishes so. He has requested all people of Pakistan, industrialists, small business owners, hence everyone who has to pay tax and utility bills- not to do it.

It may be noted that, in Pakistan the proportion of indirect tax is more than the proportion of direct tax. Whatever we buy, we pay a tax on it first. All the grocery items are taxed. Apparently, this call is definitely not for the common man. The majority of the population lives on meagre allowances. Economic surveys depict that average worker is just earning $2 a day. How come they can deny to pay the taxes?.

Imran Khan

But even the industrialists and all those people who are paying taxes are rejecting Imran Khan’s call for civil disobedience. Chamber of Commerce has said that Pakistan can’t sustain such a blow where already its in economic crisis.

In fact Imran Khan had no other way to soothe his followers who are right now gathered in Islamabad. Imran Khan has been very aggressive throughout his sit-in protest against the government. For keeping his followers charged and in high spirit, Imran Khan has gone behind the line. After so much aggressive remarks and a hype that he created- its very hard to back off. His followers want to literally throw away the government and want to attack the parliament. Imran Khan had to say , ‘No, No, No’ but to no avail. His crowd was really enthusiastic to cross the red-line marked.

Good leader is the one who controls his followers, but yesterday I saw that Imran Khan was totally in control of his followers.

Imran Khan’s such decision can be termed as ‘Political suicide’. His such decision to launch a civil disobedience movement against the government and against his own government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province has been taken with harsh criticism. Because Civil disobedience movement is more for the country than the government. Imran Khan’s rivalry is with the government not with the state. So his decision is just a joke and a blunder of its own unique nature.

In a television interview, Imran Khan said that “my political style is as of Gandhi”. However, being a Pakistani, Muhammad Ali Jinnah should be his political ideal. Even if Mr. Khan’s style is as of Gandhi- still this does not justify the call of civil disobedience. Because Gandhi had started civil disobedience campaign against the foreign rule of British empire.

It would be far better if Imran Khan had kept his focus on Election Reforms. There is no doubt that his stance on election rigging was worth pursuing and consideration. All should be done to better electoral process and every step must be taken to control the rigging loophole.

It is also worth mentioning that Imran Khan is right to say that to some extent his votes were manipulated and that he has the right to protest. But his all steps and statements should remain within the constitution. Being a very respectable and loved politician, it is his responsibility to be a role model for the current and coming generations. But by provoking such hate speeches, I think, Imran is doing harm to himself only.

I wish Imran Khan best of luck and also want to see him as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He has worked a lot and harder. His political struggle is remarkable and his charity work is unmatchable in the history of Pakistan. But it is also his responsibility to maintain a peace and discipline in his party and no such incident may happen that can be devastating for himself and the Pakistan as a whole.

Imran Khan has given ultimatum of two more days to government. Now lets see what happens in the coming future. All we can do is to pray that this political tension may be fused through political dialogues and with reconciliation.

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Published by: Waqar Ahmed Shar

Waqar Ahmed Shar is a freelancer, Sociologist, webmaster and Computer Operator at Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited, Karachi Pakistan.
He received his M.A Sociology from Shah Abdul Latif University. After his part-time five year career as a freelancer, he launched whrill.com where he writes on social and psychological issues. In addition to this website, he is a regular contributor to a number of online and print newspapers and an enthusiastic Lakers fan. He currently resides in Karachi, Pakistan with his wife Sidra Waqar and a son Shahzaib.
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